Little is known about my Great Uncle George, George Edward Dobson, born in 1913, in York. He was captured at the landing at St Valery, force marched to Germany and spent the rest of the war there as a POW. He died in 1985.
St Valery to Doullen
St Pol, Bethune, then Seclin,
Renai, Ninove, Aalst, arrive at Lokeren.
Breaking ranks, chap the door,
Never been this hungry before.
Snatch a box of sugar lumps,
a sack of socks, diluted wine.
Sailing down the Zyder Zee
Stagger into Germany.
Riffle butted to the ground,
Then pulled up back and off again.
Loaded onto that bloody train.
And everywhere, the women stare.
Sometime they sing, wave the jack,
Then kicks and screams, we don’t look back.
We’ve survived 147 miles or more
Our proud regiment is no more,
scraps of men, Prisoners of War.
Let’s make something together.
Carolyn A Yates 